A prized possession of Emperor Tiberius, this vegetable has always been a favorite and is still on top of charts.
Carrots, you must have guessed it already. They can be consumed raw in salads, ground to get its juice or even cooked. It is available in beautiful color ranging from shades of orange, red to even purple.
These delicious and nutritious vegetable has the highest-level carotene among all fruits and vegetables, Making it one of the best edible things available to us. These are said to be a native of Persia. The taproot of the carrot plant is what we consume commonly.
Various Types of Carrots
It was first spotted back in the tenth century and ever since we have loved all its forms and types.
The various types of carrots spotted by humans are:
1) Nantes
Due to the short length and thick stock carrots of Nantes variety, don’t quite look like one. These types of carrots have a subtle sweetness in taste and a smooth crunch too. These carrots hardly have any foliage on top. It grows better in rocky and heavy soils.
2) Imperator
These types of carrots are fine, long and tapered roots. Their length varies between 10-12 inches. Its core is sweet to taste and has a very pleasant aroma to it. These carrots need a light, sandy and loamy soil to grow. They further come in 2 varieties:
- Autumn King
- Atomic Red
3) Chantenay
These carrots are short and stout. These types of carrots are quite hard and can grow in harsh conditions as well. If not plucked at the right time these carrots turn woody and cannot be consumed. Their central core is pale orange.
4) Mini Carrot
These carrots are harvested when they are small. They can be harvested as container plants in kitchen gardens. These baby carrots are usually made to be sweeter than the other types.
5) Danvers
These sturdy looking carrots are usually 10-12 inches long. These carrots are orange in color. These carrots are coned and have a tapered ending. These carrots have well-defined shoulders.
6) Purple Carrots
Purple carrots are known more because of their health benefits. They help in lowering cholesterol and prevent heart strokes also they are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and Vitamin E.
7) Red Carrots
These types of carrots are red due to high lycopene content which is also a form of carotene. Carotene is known for their anti-cancer properties.
8) Yellow Carrots
They have a firm texture and are light yellow. They are sweeter than the orange carrots.
9) White Carrots
Mildly sweet flavored carrots which are thin in appearance. They are available in various shades of white.
10) Planet Carrots
These carrots produce taproot of the size of a golf ball. They are grown in heavy clay-rich soils where other carrots will fail to grow and nurture.
The other lesser known varieties of carrots are:
- Altrincham: Have a good flavor and long slender roots. They have a purple neck.
- Zino: They have great taste and flavor. These carrots are generally very long.
- Topweight: They are conical and taper to a blunt end.
- Suko: It is a Japanese variety, and its roots are small finger sized.
- Valery: This variety is great for consumption. It has a sweet flavor and a fine texture.
- Oxheart: Medium orange in color with a paler more yellow core.
- Large Altrigham: These carrots are orange-red in appearance and are a good variety for consumption.
- Juwarot: It is often claimed that their carotene content is much higher than all other varieties.
Health Benefits of Eating Carrots
Carrots are highly nutritious and its benefits are innumerable. They are consumed all over the world and thus aid in the better health of the global population. Its various health benefits are:
1) It is known to prevent heart diseases.
2) Carrots contain vitamin C which is known to stimulate the activity of white blood cells which in turn are our immunity boosters.
3) It lowers our Blood pressure and even takes care of our hypertension.
4) It is beneficial for the eyes and prevents the damage caused to them with aging.
5) Its high vitamin A content helps in improving eyesight as a whole.
6) Carrots reduce the risk of a stroke.
7) Carrots assist in the production of Saliva thus maintaining oral hygiene.
8) It is a perfect source of Beta Carotene which helps in prevention and control of Cancer.
9) It is beneficial for our skin and helps it heal faster when wounded.
10) Carrots are used in the treatment of removing blemishes and scars.
11) Vitamin A content of carrots prevents wrinkles and thus aging.
12) It is often said that carrot juice acts as a natural sunblock. Thus, consumption of carrot juice in summers is beneficial for our skin.
13) Various facial masks include carrots which help in maintaining the glow and natural radiance of our skin.
14) Carrots are also known to stimulate hair growth and promote thickness of our hair.
15) Carrots assist the liver in its functioning and thus, helps in flushing out toxins from our body.
16) Carrots are also known to be helpful for pregnant ladies as it helps in the production of breast milk.
Conclusion
This vegetable, i.e., the Carrots have been immensely beneficial since historical times and have always been used for consumption. Their benefits are not just limited to the ones listed here but are vast. Carrots help in the overall healthy development of our body.
Understanding the various types of carrots helps us to appreciate its various tastes which vary from mildly sweet to sweet. The various colors like bright red, orange, pink, white and yellow which are so attractive that it helps us appreciate the creations of God and the beauty of nature.
We can include carrots in our diet in many forms like they can be consumed raw in salads, cooked or sautéed, grilled and even can be grounded to get its juice. Carrots are also used to prepare many desserts.
All these methods make it easier to consume such a healthy and beneficial vegetable. We should make it a point to include carrot in at least one meal of the day in any form.